Film clamp



- Jan. 6, 1948. us 2,433,906

FILM CLAMP Filed Dec. 21, 1943 INVENTORT G. EDD/E HUSTED. BY

" ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1948 IT ED. ES ENT F 1C. E

FILM CLAMP; Gran e.-Eu iie.Iamsted', SanFran ism Galizt ApplicationDecmberZl, 1943; Serial N'o 515,08'7

3-Glaims. (Cl. 24q263) Thepresent invention relates to improvementsiii-film clamps, and its'principal object is to pro videia filmclampadapted for use in connection with a camerafor facilitating theremoval-of a used portion of the film without disturbing the unusedportion in its-position with respect to the conventional film backing.

In. many cameras the mm is furnishedinthe *formofa roll woundupon aspool, with a backing or cover overlying the film to separate thewindingswon the spool and to serve as acarrier for advancing the filmfor successiveexposures, the treeend-ot the backing-being attached-to asecond spool which isspaced-fromthe first spool. The-tree end 01-the--filmis attached-to the backing at a pointspaced from theendthereof;

The film is sufficiently long for a number of different exposures,usually six or eight, and the operatorfrequentlyis anxious, after a fewpictunes have been taken, to remov the exposed portion of the film fromthe camera for developing, without disturbing the remaining portionof"the film 'particularly with respect to its position in connection withthe cover-or backing.

This operation isdiificult to perform, since as a rule, when the film iscut at a line between the posed an non-exposedportions, the r mainingportion of the film will become dislocated with respect to the backingand will not follow a true course upon further unwinding.

Inthe. present invention it is proposedto provide means for firmlyclamping theefi'lm and the backing or cover into a compact unit adjacentthe line where the film is to be cut, so that after the exposed portionhas been re moved the end of thelremaining portion-may be secured; uponthe. backing by-meansota strippf; adhesive tape. and maybeadvancedwiththelatter inthesame manner as if the portion had not been removed.

It is-further proposed toprovide a film clamp ofthe.character-described; that may bgreadi'ly applied to the film -andbackingwhile the latter are in assembled relation in the camera andwithout disturbing the arrangement before the clamping action takesefiect.

And finally it is proposed to provide a film clamp that is extremelysimple in construction and may be manufactured at a nominal cost.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds, and the novel'features of the invention will befully set forth in the claims hereto attached.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows my film clamp in plan view, asapplied-to acamera fllm;-

Eigure 2 shows-asection taken along-line 2-2 of Figure 1, with the partsin position prior to the clampingoperation;

Figure 3, a section takenalong line 3 3, with the parts in positionprior to the clamping operation;

Figure 4, a section similar to that of Figure 2, with the parts shown inposition after the clamping operation; and

Figure 5, a section similar to that ofFigure 3, withj'the parts inposition after the clamping operation. 7

While Ihave shown only the preferrediorm of my invention, I wish to haveitunderstoodthat various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claimshereto'attached, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

' Referring to the drawing in detail, the film I, backed by thecover 2,is shown as partly wound on the original'spool' 3 and partly on the feedspool4, with an intermediate portionstretched between the spools. V I

The housing oi the camera is not shown in the drawing, but it may beassumed that the intermediate length of the film lies fiat against he.ea all h ho s ng, h ih s not necessary for the purpose oi the presentinmiQ l-l It may be further assumed that a number of pictures havealready been taken, and that it is desired to cutthefilmalong the line5. The film clamp 6 is applied to the unexposed portion of the filmbackwardly of the line 5, as shown in the drawing, the whole operationbeing perorme co r e, ina a k am r o p e the fil n from being exposed. I

My film clamp comprises'a pair of plates 1 and 8;, one being slidablewithin side flanges 9 projecting from the other, and the two plateshaving opposing end flanges I0 normally spaced by a distancesubstantially equal to the width of the film and adapted to be engagedover opposite edges thereof.

The two plates have upstruck ears II projecting in spaced and parallelrelation from a central portion of the plates in a direction opposite tothat of the flanges [0, the two ears leaving registering apertures [2,so that one of the ears is free to move in the aperture of the other.

The two flanges I0 may be drawn toward one another for a closer fit uponthe edges of the film by manipulation of the ears.

The ears support a shaft l3, one of the ears being slidable thereon, anda spring 20 on the shaft urges the ears apart and tends to separate theflanges ID to their maximum distance, controlled by the length of theapertures l2.

. A pressure plate I4 is loosely supported between the sliding plates Iand 8 on one hand and their flanges I0, the pressure plate being held inposition against sidewise removal by means of flanges l projecting overthe flanges 9' with suflicient play to allow of a certain amount ofmovement of the pressure plate l4 between the sliding plates I and 8 andtheir respective flanges, as clearly appears from a comparison ofFigures 2 and 4.

A cam I6 is mounted on the shaft [3 and operable by a handle I! to bearon the pressure plate I 4 through the apertures I! in the sliding platesto force the pressure plate toward the flanges In for clamping thelatter upon the in-' terposed film and cover.

In operation:

The clamp is normally in extended position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and3, with the spring 20 expanded and the handle I! in an upright position.

The inner edges of the flanges H] are spaced substantially by the widthof the film, possibly slightly less, so that the clamp may be loweredupon the film l and the underlying backing 2 and the flanges brought toa position below the backing.

The operator then presses the ears ll toward one another for drawing thflanges l0 underneath the film backing and snaps over the handle I! forurging the pressure plate l4 upon the film and for firmly clamping thefilm and the film backing between edge portions of the pressure plate [4and the flanges III. This operation also locks the spring 20 incompressed condition.

Next, the operator cuts the film along line 5, removes the exposedportion of the film, and secures the end of the remaining portion of thefilm to the film backing by means of adhesive tape or the like. 1

If the winding on the spool 4 has become loose during this operation, itis re-wound to straighten outthe length of the film and backing betweenthe spools.

The unexposed portion of the film now occupies the same position withrespect to the backing as it did before, and will freely advance withthe backing in the same manner as if the film had been left undisturbedaltogether.

I claim:

1. In a clamp for clamping superimposed strips of material, a, pair ofrectangular plates arranged in face to face relation with freedom ofsliding movement, a pair of side flanges on one of the plates and turnedover the other plate to hold the latter against turning movement,opposing end flanges 0n the plates adapted for engagement under oppositeedges of the strips, the plates being operable for drawing the flangestoward one another to close in on the strips, a pressure memberinterposed between the end flanges and the plate to overlie the stripsand means for drawing the end flanges toward the pressure member, thepressure member having edge portions disposed in confronting relation tothe end flanges and cooperable therewith for clamping the edges of thestrips therebetween when the flanges are drawn toward the pressuremember, and the pressure member having side flanges turned over the sideflanges of the plates for holding the pressure member to the plates toform a unit therewith.

2. In a clamp for clamping superimposed strips of material, acontractible unit having upturned opposing end flanges adapted forengagement over opposite edges of the strips and having means normallyexpanding the same, a pressure member interposed between the flanges andthe unit, the pressure member having edge portions disposed inconfronting relation to the flanges and cooperable therewith forclamping the edges of the strips therebetween when the flanges are drawntoward the pressure member, and cam means operable for drawing theflanges toward the pressure member and for locking the unit incontracted position in one operation, the pressure member having sideflanges turned over the side edges of the unit for holding the pressuremember to the unit.

3. In a clamp for clamping superimposed strips of material, a pair ofplates, one slidable over the other, and having upturned end flangesadapted for engagement under opposite edges of the strips, means urgingthe flanges apart, the plates having means operable for contracting theflanges to engage underneath the edges of the strips, a pressure memberinterposed between the flanges and the plates, the pressure memberhaving edge portions disposed in confronting relation to the flanges andcooperable therewith for clamping the edges of the strips therebetweenwhen the flanges are drawn toward the pressure member and the pressuremember having side flanges turned over the side edges of the plates forholding the pressure member to the plates.

GEORGE EDDIE HUSTED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

